For example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. H6-3361 and Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2010-190844 disclose an automatic analysis system which is provided with a transportation line configured to transport samples to a plurality of apparatuses, and which perform analytical operations on the samples by transporting the samples to the apparatuses by the transportation line. Typically, a sample processing apparatus connected to such transportation line is provided with a cover which covers a moving mechanism in the apparatus, and the cover is configured to be openable and closable so as to allow a user to perform reagent replacement, maintenance, and the like.
In the case where the above sample processing apparatus is connected to a transportation line, the transportation line transports samples to the sample processing apparatus at irregular time intervals in accordance with the timings at which sample processing in other apparatuses ended. Accordingly, the operation of the sample processing apparatus is often suspended. While the sample processing operation is being suspended, a user may carelessly touch a moving mechanism in the sample processing apparatus and displace it. If the sample processing operation is resumed when the moving mechanism has been displaced, the apparatus may not be able to locate the moving mechanism at its intended position. Therefore, every time a sample is transported to the sample processing apparatus by the transportation line, the sample processing apparatus needs to perform operations such as detecting whether the cover has been opened or not and returning the moving mechanism to its original position. This makes it difficult to smoothly process samples.